Dangerous Path
by puuZ
Summary: After a violent night, 17-year-old Serena Le Blanche is left homeless with no money. She has no choice but to go live with an LAPD officer until she can get back on her feet. But a buring passion elopes them. She wants him. He wants her. But will her a
1. Chapter 1

  
**Author's Note:** Contains strong sexual themes and language.   
  


**Title:** Dangerous Path   
**Chapter:** 1   
**Rating:** R/NC17   
**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Humor/Action/Adventure   
**Author:** Pure Euphoria   
**Summary:** After a violent night Serena Le Blanche is left homeless with no money. She has no choice but to go live with an LAPD officer until she can get back on her feet. But a burning passion elopes them. She wants him. He wants her. But will her age stop whatever might've been?   


The afternoon sun shined down on the sandy Los Angeles beaches, searing them with light as well as heat. An active game of volleyball was being played out as the opposing teams courted the ball from one side to the other. Many bathing suits clad men and women cheered on the players. 

However, Darien Parker was not outside, enjoying the places LA had to offer. No, instead, he was sitting in hotel room, talking to his soon-to-be ex-fiancée, Danielle Boitech. She was beautiful, brown hair, green eyes and a curvy and shapely figure with long legs that any man would love to have wrapped around his waist. But, to Darien, it was all the same old story. 

Danielle, no matter how beautiful she was, was a mistake. Sure, they had a lot of fun and great times, but something was missing. 

Danielle Boitech was rich, sophisticated and beautiful. She was the heiress to Boitech Technology Inc., which was currently run by her father, Dominic Boitech. 

Dominic Boitech was a very proper man. But he was a dangerous enemy, and the one thing he loved most was his only daughter, Danielle. Dominic also had very big connections with the Mafia. Which made him feared by anyone who had any ounce of common sense. 

And here he was, breaking their engagement. What the Hell was he thinking, asking Danielle to marry him? Why did he go along to their first date? He certainly did not want Dominic to hire a hit man to get rid of him. Fortunately, Dominic Boitech took a liking to him when Danielle had introduced them. Which he doubted would him any good if Danielle went crying to him and twisted everything around which, he knew, she was very good at. 

"Look, Danielle." He began, not knowing how to break his decision to her. "We've -- we've been together for a year and half now. I think, no, I _know_ that it would be best for all if we call off our engagement. I don't feel about you the same way I did when we first met and I don't want to burden you with a husband who doesn't love you," he said, cautious of her reaction. 

Danielle was a high-class woman, who preferred servants over doing things herself. And that was one of the many reasons why Darien couldn't and wouldn't marry her. She was too sophisticated and her way of fun was going to an elegant dinner party where people bore you with their bragging of how big their bank accounts are and how many private jets and yachts they own. Darien knew that because Danielle often brought him with her. He knew that kind of lifestyle was not for him and that's how he would've lived if he did go through with the wedding. 

"Oh, honey, you can't mean that," she smiled seductively, letting her expert hands travel down his chest, stopping at the waistband of his blue shorts. "Not after all the passion that we've shared," Danielle raised her yellow mini-skirt and flung her leg over his thighs and saddled him, moving rhythmically against his, now somewhat hard, member. 

He groaned, God that's good. No! He had to stay focused. If he fucked her now, she would think that they were back together. And they weren't. 

Taking hold of her waist, he stood up and placed her on the couch. "Danielle, I said that I don't want to marry you, and I'm not going to." 

"Well, that's not what your body is telling me." She smiled. 

Darien looked down and sure enough, there was a big bulge pressed against his thin shorts. 

"That don't matter, because we are over, Danielle." 

"Since when did sex didn't matter?" She seemed calm and collected, and it frustrated him to no end. 

He took a few big breaths, to calm him down. The last thing he wanted to do was yell at her and have her go crying to her father. Although, he knew that the whole Technology Company was a big cover up, he had no proof to put Boitech behind bars. 

"That's just it, Danielle. All we had was sex, nothing more." It was true, there was nothing than animal sex and he wanted more from the woman he married. 

"That's not true. I love you," she said with a pout. 

He gave a frustrated yell and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. 

She was impossible, what the Hell was he suppose to do? 

As he exited the Stonegate Hotel, he thought about ways to tell her off without angering her. It wasn't that he was afraid of Dominic, he was a cop, so he feared very little. But it would be very unpleasant to come across one of Dominic's goons. He opened the door of his black Mercedes convertible. It was a present from his parents when he got his job. 

Driving always helped him whenever he had a lot on his mind. And he couldn't recall when he had more problems than now. But he had to stop stressing himself about it. He told Danielle how he felt, now it time to play the waiting game and hope it that Dominic liked him enough not to do anything bad. 

Pulling up at the Los Angeles Police Department, Darien got out of the car and walked inside. 

The interior was a huge room with cubicles scattered all around. The workers scurried in different directions, the room buzzing with chatter and movements. His job was everything to him, he dreamed of being a cop since he was old enough to know what a cop was. 

"Parker!" barked a deep voice. Darien turned around to see the speaker, enough though he already knew whom it was.   
Lieutenant James Scarrlett. He was a beefy man in his late 40's with graying brown hair. He was tough and did not tolerate incompetence. 

"Yes, Lieutenant?" he turned fully around. However, he did not see the chubby man, instead he saw an African American man in his mid twenties laughing. That was Jordan Smith, his partner and best friend. 

"You crazy son of a bitch!" 

"Ah, this is fun!" laughed Jordan. 

"That was sure as Hell not funny. For a moment, I thought I was in deep shit," exclaimed Darien, anger shining in his blue eyes. 

"Damn, sorry, man. Couldn't resist," smiled Jordan. "So, tell how Danielle took the news." 

"Not well." Darien proceeded to tell Jordan what happened. When he was done, Jordan started laughing. "More than sex? That has to be the most hilarious thing I have heard in all my life. So what are you going to about Big D? Can't say he's going to be happy about it," said Jordan, his expression somber. 

"Don't know but I, sure as Hell, am not going to cower somewhere. Plus, he seemed to like me a lot when we met, so, you know, maybe that'd be enough not to blow my head off." 

"Hope so." 

"Smith! Parker! Get back to work. You're not getting paid for standing around, scratching your asses all day." This time, it was Lieutenant Scarrlett. 

"Yessir!" the duo called out before returning to their respective desks. 

The day rolled by without any eventful happenings. Now, it was three twenty five. Almost the end of the day and Darien was ready to fall asleep right there. 

He could hear someone yelling at him, but his or her voice was distant. 

"Parker! Get up!" 

It took him some time to register that he dozed off. Groaning, he lifted his head to stare at the angry face of Lieutenant Scarrlett. "Sorry, Lt. Won't happen again," he mumbled. 

"It better not, Parker. Now, you and Smith go to LA General Hospital. There was a murder and a robbery committed at Sunset Plaza. Ask for," Lt. looked at the sheet of paper in his hand, "Serena Le Blanche, the only witness." 

Darien didn't need any other invitation. He stood up, and ran out the building, dragging Jordan with him. They settled in a police car and headed off towards the hospital. 

"All right! Something to do, I was bored out of my mind," exclaimed Jordan, fastening his seat belt. "So, you want to come over to dinner tonight? Terry's trying out some new recipe or somethin' and told me to invite you over." 

Terry was Jordan's wife, they got married only after three months of dating. Partly because Terry was 2 months pregnant. But they got lucky and now, it's been a year since their wedding. 

"So, how's Junior doing?" asked Darien. Junior was Jordan and Terry's son, his godson. "He's doing good. Smart kid, I tell you." 

Jordan was very proud of his son and would always tell what the little toddler was up to. The rest of the ride was spent in a somewhat silence. 

When they pulled up in the parking lot of LA General Hospital, the duo exited the car. They walked through the front entrance and up to the Info booth. 

"Hello, how can I help you?" asked the lady behind the glass window. 

"Yeah, hi, we're looking for Serena Le Blanche," said Darien, frowning slightly. 

"I'm sorry, sir. We do not give out such information about our patients." 

"It's all right, we're cops," insisted Jordan, taking out his wallet and flashing her the badge. The lady still looked somewhat troubled about releasing the information. 

Darien's patience had officially run out. "Look, lady, we don't have all day," he snapped. The pressure of Danielle was getting to him. 

She typed a few keys on the keyboard and gave them the room number. "Thank you!" called Jordan as Darien dragged him towards the elevator. Today, he wasn't in a good mood for crimes. 

The elevator arrived and a nurse exited the small structure. Stepping in, Darien pressed the floor number they needed. He waited for the elevator to descend with an impatient scowl. 

A 'ding' indicated their stop. They got off and went searching for the room. A detective was standing guard at the white door. 

"Are you Jordan Smith and Darien Parker?" he asked. 

The cops nodded a 'yes'. "And you are?" 

The man extended his hand. "I am Detective Colin Rodney. I'm the one working on this case," he informed them. Darien shrugged off the hand and said, "Well, why were we sent here? Is there any trouble, Detective?" 

"As a matter a fact, there is. Miss Le Blanche was brought here earlier this morning. After a background search, we have learned that the one murdered was in fact her brother, also her only living relative. Miss Le Blanche, at that, is also underage, not 18 ye--" 

"I'm well aware of what underage means, Detective Rodney," snapped Darien. 

"Yes, yes. Well, Ms Le Blanche is not 18 yet, anyhow. Since there are no live-threatening complications with her, the hospital is releasing her today. And as I mentioned earlier, Miss Le Blanche doesn't have any relatives that we know of or that she told us about, so we will be forced to take her to an orphanage. Only she says she won't go." 

The older man paused and summoned a handkerchief, whipping the sweat off his face thoroughly. Irritated, Darien asked what had been clouding his mind, "So why exactly are we here?" 

"What? Oh, yes, we called you to find someone who can take her in until she turns 18 or is enough financially stable to rent her own apartment." 

Darien and Jordan exchanged a look. "I see," muttered Jordan. 

"Well, can we talk to her?" he asked. 

"Of course," motioned the man. Darien and Jordan brushed past Rodney and into the room. 

Darien's attention settled onto the white bed and he froze at who was sitting on it.   


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Review and tell me what you think! If I get enough motivation, I'll write the next chapter. It's up to you, guys!   



	2. Chapter 2

  
**Author's Note: **There were some mistakes in the names in the first chapter. That was because I, at first, started this fic as an original one, but decided afterwards it would be better as a Darien/Serena story. Sorry for the confusion. 

Thank you to all the people that have reviewed, it is very much appreciated.   
  
  
  


**Title: **Dangerous Path   
**Chapter: ** 2   
**Rating: **R/NC17   
**Genre: **Romance/Drama/Humor/Action/Adventure   
**Author: ** Pure Euphoria   
**Summary: ** After a violent night, 17-year-old Serena Le Blanche is left homeless with no money. She has no choice but to go live with a LAPD officer until she can get back on her feet. But burning passion elopes them. She wants him. He wants her. But will her age stop whatever might've been?   


Darien exhaled. 'Miss Le Blanche' was _hot_. Long curly hair. Blue eyes. Even with tear-streaked cheeks and the whiteness of the room bringing out her pale skin, she was smokin'. 

"Yo, Darien. You cool, man?" asked Jordan. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" countered Darien, forcing away his gaze from the blonde and settling his eyes on his smug looking partner. 

"Nothing, you just looked like you were a thousand miles away, you know what I mean?" suggested Jordan. 

Oh, what the Hell was wrong with him? He just broke off his engagement a few hours ago and now he was lusting after a minor? Since when did his life become so screwed up? More important question, what did he do to deserve it? He shook his head to clear his thoughts from his mind. He didn't have time for this, not when he was in the same room with a murder victim. 

"Hello, I'm Jordan Smith and this is my partner Darien Parker," started Jordan. The girl nodded slightly in acknowledgment and hugged her knees closer to her chest. 

"Now," Jordan continued, " we have been called out here due to some complications." He paused, a signal for Darien to take over. 

"Er - you're underage and you refuse to go to the orphanage, am I right?" The girl nodded. He took that as a sign to continue. 

"I see," Darien took out the file he grabbed from Lt.'s hands as he made to his car. Opening the pastel folder, he scanned the information. 

"So, you just came to LA from France, right?" The girl nodded again. 

"You speak English?" interrupted Jordan. 

This time Serena raised her head. "I don't think I would understand your questions if I didn't, am I right?" she looked at Jordan then at him. "I'm originally from France, when I was 10, my parents, my brother and I moved to New York. Four years later, both of them were killed in a bank robbery. My brother, who was 20 at the time, decided they should be buried back in France. After the funeral, my brother and I decided to stay in France for a couple of years." Serena paused and seemed to ponder on something for a moment before continuing in the same monotone voice. 

"Yesterday, we landed in LA, checked into a hotel for the night. Carlos didn't have any time to make a bank account, so all the money we had was with us. About at 2 in the morning, a knock came at the door. The door was opened and I was pushed inside and three guys, all in black clothes with those cutout hats, came in, dragging Carlos. 

"The three of them all had guns and a couple of knives. The leader, I think, told me to give him all the cash I had or he would shoot my brother. I did. I didn't want to take any chances. After that, Carlos began to regain consciousness. He looked around and registered on what happened. He tried to stand up but one of the guys put a gun to his head and told that if he wanted to live, he was going to have to listen to them. 

"I guessed they already took the money Carlos had because one of them was carrying a small black bag filled with cash, no doubt. One of the guys eyed me and said to the leader that 'there was more than money they could get from me'." Serena collapsed into sobs. 

Jordan and Darien exchanged a look, neither sure of what to do in a situation like this. 

"Did you tell this to the Detective?" asked Darien, putting a hand on her shoulder, giving her sympathy the only way he knew. She nodded her head but didn't say anything. 

"They didn't do anything, right?" asked Jordan. 

"No, when they tried, Carlos began protesting and tried to fight the leader. But they shot him, and the sound of the shot was loud and it was, no doubt, going to wake up the people in the next room, so they had to flee." 

The door opened and Detective Rodney entered the room. "Officer Parker, Officer Smith, may I have a word?" Darien wondered if he should leave her in this state of distress, but followed wordlessly out the room. 

"Hey, Rodney," started Jordan, "you say that she needs a place to stay, right?" 

Detective Rodney nodded his head but didn't look too happy at being addressed by 'Rodney'. "Yes." 

"Well, Darien here has a spare room after I moved out a year ago." 

It was true, he couldn't find anyone compatible enough to give them a chance. He agreed on a couple of people, who, after a week of living together turned out to be a disaster. One was a party animal with the music blaring and a crowd of friends. And Darien needed a quiet place where he can rest peacefully after a long and tiring day at work. Wait a second, did Jordan just volunteered his place? 

"I'm sure that Miss Le Blanche will be very appreciative," announced Detective Rodney happily. "That is if you don't mind, Officer Parker." 

The Detective's gray eyes settled on the troubled officer. It was true that he had a spare room but did he really want a minor for a roommate? It wasn't too long that he finished college himself, but she was probably still in high school. The two things his life revolved around the past year were Danielle and his work. Maybe he should let her stay with him, he needed to lay back and relax a little, after all, and he was only 25 years old. 

"All right, Detective, it's no problem," he uttered. Why did he feel he was going to regret making this decision?   
  


The detective and the two police officers returned to the room where Serena Le Blanche stayed. "Good news, Miss Le Blanche, we have found you a place where you can stay for the next couple of months." Darien knew that if Rodney said 'Miss Le Blanche' once again, he was going to strangle the detective. 

"I'm not goi--" 

"No, not the orphanage. Officer Parker was kind enough to propose the offer of staying in his spare room for the time being," smiled Detective Rodney. 

Serena's gaze shifted from the heavy detective to the young cop. She cleared her throat and muttered, "Thanks." 

She felt slightly uncomfortable, possibly because it was probably a pity offer. Damn. She hated pity, mainly because when her parents died, it was all she got. Not many could relate to her dilemma, so they couldn't show sympathy. It was extremely annoying. But, it didn't matter now, she needed a place to stay. If it was a pity offer, then screw him. 

"Uh, do you need any help packing?" asked Officer Parker. 

"Yeah, 'cause we'd be happy to help you," piped in Officer Smith. 

"Just because I'm in a hospital, doesn't mean I can't pack my own things," answered Serena, "besides, I don't have that much." 

"All right, then that's settled. Now, Officer Parker, we need you to fill out some paper work," said the detective, scratching his chin thoughtfully. 

"Okay." 

With that, the three men left the room and Serena climbed out of bed to get dressed. She took off the hospital nightgown and laid it out on the bed. Naked, she strutted to the chair where her jeans and shirt were rested upon. Serena dug through the clothes and found her white, cotton panties, slipping them on. 

Two minutes later, she stood dressed, except for her missing shoes. Oh, God, she felt like throwing up. The pain just wouldn't go away no matter how hard she tried to forget about it. She had lost all of her family, and never in her life did she feel truly alone and vulnerable until now. 

Serena kneeled down and picked up her Nikes and white socks from under the chair. Putting them on, she continued to make her way to the two packed travel bags, in which most of her belongings were stored in. Taking hold of the handles, she dragged them to the door. 

She turned the handle and filed out, her suitcases following. The three men were in view, and Officer Parker was filling out a sheet. He seemed young, in his mid-twenties, she guessed. 

"All right, Miss Le Blanche, best of luck. I will contact you if I make any progress in you brother's case." 

The burly man smiled. She felt like crying. Her brother was dead. _Dead._ She was never going to talk to him or see him, except for the pictures she had of him. But that wasn't the same. But instead, she plastered on a big smile and nodded, "Great." 

The two officers each took one of her bags and ushered her out of the hospital. Serena walked towards the black Mercedes. Cars, really, had no special effect on her like most women. Just because a man had a beautiful and expensive car didn't make his a possible candidate for a date with her. If he had a great car, good for him. 

Getting into the back seat, she listen to the engine roar to live and the car speed out of the parking lot. What was going to become of her now? She had no one to turn to. What was she going to do when she turned 18. She didn't know anyone here. This whole place was foreign to her, and she was forced to adapt to it very quickly. 

The scenary passed by briskly as Serena further thought about her situation and what she was going to do about it. She had to find a job right away. There was no way she was going to live with this--this _cop_ longer than she had to. But right now, all she wanted to do was get some sleep, anything to lull away the throbbing headache that made her feel as if her head was splitting apart. 

The car jerked to a stop and Serena lifted her buzzing head to look around her surroundings. Judging from where the car was parked, Officer Parker lived in a one-story house. It looked small, but homey. But then again, what the Hell did she know about houses when she wanted to be a hairstylist. 

With that, another thought struck her, how was she going to pay for college? She had to enrole in the nearest high school since she hadn't graduated yet but when the time came, where was she going to get that kind of money? Her life had completely turned upside down in the last 24 hours, so why not add more. What did it matter, now that everyone she had loved was gone. That thought left her in a state of depression. 

"Hello?" A hand waved in front of her face. She looked up at the owner. It was the other cop. What was his name? Seth? Mith? Smith? Smith. 

"Officer Smith," acknowledged Serena quietly. 

"Aw, man, call me Jordan. Officer Smith makes me sound old," grinned Jordan. 

"You mean you're not?" mocked Officer Parker. He turned his gaze on her and extended his hand. "Call me Darien." 

Hesitantly, she shook his hand. "Serena Le Blanche." 

He opened the door and she climbed out. With each movement, her head buzzed in a painful manner causing her to grip it tightly to avoid the pulsing pain. 

"You cool, man?" 

"Yeah," she managed to answer. 

Darien opened the door and hauled the two travel bags inside. Jordan motioned her to follow. 

Once she stepped inside, the only thing she wanted to was sleep, and she hoped that Darien and Jordan were not going to drag the introduction part longer than necessary. 

"Sorry for the mess," said Darien. 

"Um, where's my room?" She didn't mean to sound rude but they were acting like she didn't just witness her brother's death and was here as a normal guest. She paid no heed to the appearance of the house as it was, for the time being, the least of her worries. Serena just wanted to curl up and mourn her dead brother. 

"Yeah, the one on the right." 

Darien motioned to the white door. Serena, not needing any further invitation, grabbed her bags and made her way to the place she would sleep in for the next couple of months or so. 

"Good-night," she called over her shoulder and slammed the door shut. Not bothering to take off her clothes, Serena fell on to the bare mattress and instantly fell asleep.   
  


"Okay, man, come on." 

"Huh?" answered Darien. "What are you talking about?" 

"You know, the dinner?" 

"Oh, yeah, I don't think I'm going to go," he replied. 

"'Kay, listen, you need a distraction from all this Danielle shit, cool? So what better than coming over to my house and my pretty lady making us dinner? Now, come on, let's go," Jordan grabbed his shirt and made turn to drag him out the door. However, Darien shrugged off the hand and spoke up, "Okay, yeah, you got a point there but what about her," he indicated the closed door. 

"'Miss Le Blanche'?" grinned Jordan at his immitation of the chubby detective. "Darien, don't be so dense. The girl just witnessed her brother dying, I really doubt she's going to come out of that room for some time." Seeing his doubtful expression, Jordan continued, "I'm telling you, man. Come on, just help me help you." 

He sighed. There was no way to win an arguement with Jordan. "All right, but you have to promise to cut out all the crap." 

Jordan extended his hand and spoke in a cheesy British accent, "Pleasure dealing business with you." 

Brushing past him, Darien shook his head, "I just wonder if you will ever grow up." 

The whole ride, Darien spent thinking about why he got involved with Danielle in the first place. Why did he go looking for something more? He had an over-active sex life with women asking him out on every corner. Why couldn't he just find some average city girl instead of going for the big cheese. He realiazed, after asking Danielle to marry him, that she was way too classy and sophisticated for him. There was no way that she would even consider going to a fast food place or to an amusement park to safe her the embarrassment of being caught in a place where only common folk go to. 

Her style was a style of the rich people. And he had enough of it from his childhood to last him a lifetime. A jerk pulled him out of his reverie as the car was put to a stop. 

"Darien? Hello? What's with you spacing out all this time, huh?" asked Jordan, somewhat annoyed. 

"Sorry." Oh, boy was he sorry that this whole past year and a half turned out the way it did. He climbed out of the car and made way to the small house. That was the only way to describe it. On Jordan's salary and what little Terry made as a landscaper, it was all they could afford that acquired all the necessities for their baby, such as a backyard. 

Jordan opened the door and stepped aside to let him through. "Jordan," smiled a small woman. "Oh, hey, Darien. Well, I'm glad you're here. Come on," she led them to the kitchen. 

Darien followed the couple to the kitchen, from where dilicious smells were coming from. 

As he entered the small room, he gaped at the person sitting behind the wooden table. 

Danielle. 

"What the Hell are you doing here?" he demanded. 

"Whatever do you mean, darling? Can't I come over to dinner to my fiancee's friend's --" she paused and looked around the small place in a criticizing glare, "house?" 

"Damn it, Danielle, I am not your finacee anymore," he shouted in anger. What was it with women these days, couldn't they tell when a man didn't want to be with them? And they say men are blind. 

"Do you mind giving us some privacy?" jeered Danielle, looking at Terry and Jordan as if they were mice. The couple left the kitchen, although not before Jordan casted a hateful glare on his former fiancee. 

"Well," she stood up and strutted his way in a seductive way, "now that we're alone..." she trailed off. 

"Danielle, I said it to you plain and simple, the engagment is off," he groaned as she pressed herself against his length. Dammit! He managed to push her away and stepped back to regain the control that was slipping through his fingers. 

"Danielle, dammit. What the Hell do I have to say or do for you to understand that I'm not going to be with you anything, that our engagment is off?" he yelled. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she tilted her head and looked at him. "Really, Darien. There's no need to lose your temper. You know that there's a young brat in this-this-this _shack_. I read somewhere that they shouldn't hear this sort of stuff," she lectured. 

He couldn't believe his ears. What the Hell was she doing, lecturing him when she followed him around thinking that they were still engaged when he told her loud and clear that it was off. Why was he even stressing himself about it? It wasn't his fault she was so thick-headed that she couldn't she the damn truth when it was staring her in the face. 

"I think you should go now," he indicated the door. 

"Darien, we will talk about this. You _are _my fiancee and I'm not giving you up, remember that." 

With that, she was gone and Darien was left alone in the kitchen to be tormented by his thoughts. He needed sleep. With a quick goodbye, he was out the door and on his way home in his black Mercedes.   
  


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You review, I update. It's as simple as that! If I don't get reviews, I will not continue to update this story due to the fact that I hate wasting my time.   



	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Thank you all for the reviews. It's so nice to read that people actually like my work. 

I don't own Sailor Moon, but Jordan Smith, and Danielle Boitech are my characters.   


**Title: **Dangerous Path   
**Chapter: **3   
**Rating: **R/NC17   
**Genre: **Romance/Drama/Humor/Action/Adventure   
**Author: **Pure Euphoria   
**Summary: **After a violent night, 17-year-old Serena Le Blanche is left homeless with no money. She has no choice but to go live with a LAPD officer until she can get back on her feet. But burning passion elopes them. She wants him. He wants her. But will her age stop whatever might've been?   
  
  


For the rest of the week, as Jordan predicted, Serena spent her time in her room, either crying or forcing herself not to cry. Every time Darien asked her if she wanted anything, Serena declined, saying that she wasn't hungry. 

Now, she lay there in a rectangular room that felt more like an cage, crying still over her dead brother. The whole accident proved to be an overload for her as she could feel the insanity creeping in the back of her mind. The white room wasn't helping either. 

This was crazy. There was absolutely nothing she could do that would bring Carlos back. It was time to move on. She had to. She had to start living again.Or else Carlos gave up his life for nothing. He saved her from being raped, and for that, she was thankful beyond words. So, wherever he was, she was going to show him that his choice wasn't for nothing. 

With that vow, Serena dragged herself away from the bed to the still unpacked suitcases. Unzipping the bag, she rummaged through it to find something more suitable to wear. Settling on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, Serena opened the door and headed out into the living room. 

It was only twelve o'clock, so Darien wouldn't be home for some time. Wasting no time, she charged for the kitchen and opened the fridge. Serena barely ate in the last week, and it was time to make up for that. She was sure that Darien wouldn't mind if she cleaned out his fridge a bit, the guy let her stay here. 

Pulling open the door, she found nothing but boxes of frozen pizza and beer. Cursing under her breath, she grabbed one box and looked around for the microwave. Serena couldn't believe that he was living off of this. It was not healthy and, in her opinion, disgusting. 

Taking out a plate, she put the pizza into the microwave and set the time. She had to start thinking about a job and applying for school. There was no time to waste. But today she was going to relax, and get ready for the life ahead of her. 

The place wasn't very big, but she loved it. About 15 feet from her own room was Darien's room. The kitchen was small and was separated from the rest of the room by an island bar, which was surrounded by three wooden stools. 

Looking to the right of her room, she was countered with a glass sliding door. Stepping outside, Serena surveyed her surroundings. About a hundred yards or so, was the beach. She couldn't remember the last time she paid a visit to that foreign place. She should definitely go, maybe even today as tomorrow, she would be busy searching for a job. 

Then, there was school. Oh, yes, how could she forget that. With the two months left in the school year, she had to apply now, before it was too late for her to graduate. And another year in high school would be horrible. 

During those younger teen years, Serena found out that she hated high school, and disliked the students. Mainly because most of them were immature and childish, especially the popular group. It was almost sad when they pranced around the school as if they owned it. It was way too cliché. 

And the guys. The guys were disgusting and despicable. The talk among them was that of who got laid last night or who got the most drunk. It was sickening to think that anyone would actually go for a guy like that. One with no manners or future. What she was looking for was someone more mature, someone who didn't yell out 'Ew!' when they found out that a less popular girl liked them. 

Well, she could always dream. The smarter guys these days were way too shy to her liking. Serena always dreamed of a dominating and demanding boyfriend who would take her into his arms and into the bedroom for hours on end. 

The one thing she loved about herself was her dirty and imaginative mind. It kept her entertained even when she was isolated from everyone else. 

And she was most likely to be found by herself. Ever since the death of her parents, she was sheltered herself from the outside world, and even when she tried, making friends was particularly hard for her. 

But now wasn't the time for her life story to be told. She took a glance through the glass at the clock on the wall. Five fifty. Darien should be home any minute. 

A burning smell filled her nostrils. The pizza! Damn. She leaped inside and lunged for the microwave, with one swift motion turning it off. What the fuck was she doing? She couldn't even cook a piece of shitty pizza. She _really _had to stop spacing out all the time. 

Serena rummaged through the cupboards, searching for anything to dispose of the smell. When turning empty handed, she grabbed a towel and started waving it madly around the dark smoke, thinning it out. She trailed the smoke out through the opened doors and outside. Just in time, too, as the lock turned and Darien walked in. 

At first, he seemed surprised as he stared at her through his dark blue eyes. "Hey," came the greeting. Giving a small smile, Serena seated herself on the wooden stool and perched her chin on her hand, her gaze following him. Sensing her gaze, Darien turned around and looked at her in a questioning way. "You cook something?" he indicated the dark crusted pizza. She followed his gaze and blushed, "Yeah, but I'm not very good with microwave type of things. My parents were totally against using things such as that, saying it wasn't the natural way." 

Her expression turned somber as she thought about her parents. Which led her to think about her brother. Darien watched the emotions flashed by on her face and searched his brain for a distraction to pull her away before she settled into depression again. 

"How about we go buy some groceries? I realize now that we don't share similar tastes in food," he chuckled. 

"You mean frozen pizza and beer? Well, I can go for the beer but not the frozen crap." 

"Not until you're 18. I'm a cop, I live by the laws," he answered seriously. 

"You didn't ever break the law, at all?" she asked incredulously. 

"There might've been a few times before I became a cop. But I took a vow to prevent people from breaking the law and engaging in illegal activities and that includes myself as well." 

"Well, if you say so. Hold on and let me get dressed, okay? I'll only be a minute," she called over her shoulder before disappearing inside her room. 

However, the minute turned into ten minutes and ten minutes turned into thirty minutes as Serena ran from her room to the bathroom and back again. Darien was ready to fall asleep as she answered that she wasn't ready yet when he asked her what was taking her so long. He took that time to think about his recent conversation with Danielle which didn't end too well on his part. He still found it hard to believe that she actually showed up at Jordan's home to interrogate him about being his fiancee after their break-up. 

Then there was Serena; the sexy, young Serena. What the Hell kind of a man could refuse that piece of ass? It was unheard of. What made her forbidden, made her tempting. 

"Okay, I'm ready to go," called Serena as she came back from the bedroom. Low cut jeans and a green halter top that showed her curvy figure. Damn, he should just jump her here and now, to Hell with consequences. But no, he couldn't. He took an oath, and he was a man of his word. And his word was that he wouldn't engage in illegal activities, which would be exactly what he'd be doing if he had sex with Serena. 

Hell, he didn't even know if she felt the same way. He had to stop thinking about this and relax. "Okay, come on." 

But if he waited a few more seconds before turning around, he would've noticed Serena giving him a look over. 

She looked at his legs in loose jeans, up to his strong back and his broad shoulders. She wondered if the rest of him was that broad and big. Blushing at going down that road, she shook her head to rid of the thoughts of the many hot and sweaty activities she would love to do involving him. 

Putting on her shoes, Serena followed Darien out the door. They hopped into the black convertible and sped down the road to the nearest grocery store. The passing scenery; the well groomed gardens, the beautiful people, and the aesthetic buildings astounded her. The people in LA sure knew how to live. 

He parked the car in the parking lot of a large building. Since Serena knew nothing of where they were, she closely followed Darien. They neared the entrance and Darien grabbed a cart before they entered the lively structure. Families scurried in different directions, carts pack to their fullest extent. Shelves as high as two grown men were stocked with different products. The products were pilled in boxes rather than cartons. 

This was probably where the businesses and large families bought their supplies. She had been to one of these stores in France, the more you buy the more discount you get. Or something of that nature. 

So why did Darien bring her here? Voicing her thoughts, she waited for him to answer. "Well, you can buy more, so you don't have to go back to the store in a couple of days. And it's a long easier in my opinion." 

"Well, how come the only thing you have is frozen pizza and beer? You do know that it's an unhealthy combination, right?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"I really don't have time to go grocery shopping. Being a cop is very tiring work," he chuckled as he scanned the aisles. "All right, how about we get something to drink first, since you aren't old enough to drink alcohol," Darien said as he dragged the cart to the left. 

"Gee, thanks for reminding me," she mumbled under her breath as she chased after him. 

After hours of different aisles, products and conversation, Serena ready to fall on the floor and never get up. Her legs were killing her, eyes refusing to stay open long enough for her to know where she was going. She walked behind Darien as he dragged a full cart of many essentials. 

They took a place in the long line and waited for their turn to check out. Serena looked at the cart through half-closed eyes, not bothering to hide her fatigue, when a thought struck her. 

"Darien, you know, you didn't have to buy practically the whole store just because I'm staying with you. I could've lived off of the pizza," she voiced her thoughts, her eyes glued to the floor. She felt guilty. He was a cop; she didn't know how much cops made these days, but still. 

"Don't worry about the cost," he said with finality evident in his voice. He turned his back to her leaned on the handle of the cart. This motion gave her complete view of his ass. Holy shit! She forced her gaze away from that piece of meat and searched for anything to occupy her mind in order to delete that vivid image. 

After checking out, the walked to the car, unloaded the groceries in the back seat and got in. The drive back was silent. Serena had a faint idea of why it was so quiet and cursed inwardly for saying anything in the store. She must've wounded his ego. 

They returned to the house at eight o'clock, and it took them half an hour to put everything in its place, since Serena had no knowledge of where their appropriate places were. 

She decided that she should go to bed early as she had a big day ahead of her. Brushing her teeth and washing her face, she bided Darien a goodnight before disappearing into her room for the night. 

Somehow, still, she felt embarrassed at showing weakness in the hospital in front of Darien. The death of her parents toughened her, and now her brother. 

She changed into her night attire; which was nothing but panties and curled up in the soft blankets she laid on for herself. Sleeping on a bare mattress was no fun. 

In her tired state, falling sleep was not hard.   
  
  


The sun rose above the horizon, coloring the sky in an orange hue. Even though it was still six in the morning, residents of LA were already up and about. Darien slipped through the glass doors, and walked inside, taking off his shoes. 

His usual morning routine included a thirty minute jog down the beach. Practically everyone in LA came out bright and early for a run. It was like a fad, only it wasn't temporary. He had to catch a quick shower, eat, get dressed and be at work by seven o'clock. 

The looked at the closed door, which led to Serena's room and went back to the task at hand: showering. He didn't know what to think of Serena staying here. Knowing that she was just behind that door gave his an urge to go into her room and do some serious workout on her. 

"No, there's no way in Hell that I'm thinking this. I am not attracted to Serena. Fuck, she's 8 years younger than me," he muttered to himself, heading to the bathroom. The cold water was welcomed as it beat against his hot body. The icy stings it left had a resemblance to needles. He stooped his head against the tiles wall and let the water cool down his body temperature. Last night, sleep didn't come easy. His dreams were tormented by a certain blonde and a bed. 

Emerging from the bathroom, Darien headed over to his room to get dressed and ready for another day at LAPD. Last night, Serena's question got him reminiscing his high school years and all he did back then. The girls, the parties, the drugs. Every time his thoughts landed on those days, Darien still couldn't believe how much of an idiot he once was. But he was glad he pulled out before things got too out of control. 

Putting on a pair of jeans and a shirt, Darien crossed the threshold and headed to the newly packed fridge. Taking out a carton of milk, he reached over to the cereal. 

"Good morning," came a cheerful greeting. 

He turned to look at her. Hair loose, and a long creme T-shirt draped over her. "Hey," he shot back. "You're awfully happy today. Any particular reason?" Darien questioned, his gaze sweeping over her form. Before his thoughts turned where he didn't want them to go, he focused on his cereal. Was this what was going to become on him? Turning into an old geezer at 25, walking with safety bells, refusing to cross the illegal line? He had to admit, that didn't sound too appealing. Not as appealing as Serena's bare skin against his. 

"Crap," he muttered. 

"You say something?" she snapped her head up to look at him. "Nah," he countered. 

"Well, anyway," Serena started, setting herself down at the wooden stool, "I was thinking -- I mean, if it wasn't too much of a bother -- could you show me where the locall high school is today? I'm going to have to start school if I want to graduate, and I'll need to find a job too." He looked at her, thinking if he would be able to take off a day of work today. Didn't seem possible. Tomorrow was better. 

He voiced his thoughts and watched as her facial settled on disappointment. Darien racked his brains for anything he _was _able to do. 

"Well, how about I leave you some newspapers and you can look at the 'wanted' section. There's got to be something there to suit you, and tomorrow I'll take the day off and give you a tour of the city. How's that sound?" 

Bringing a spoonful of cereal to his mouth, he was surprised when Serena shot out of her position and leaped and him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Squealing, she jumped up and down in excitement. Darien wretched out of her embrace before he tore off that poor excuse of a shirt and taken her on the spot. _You're a cop, Darien. Remember that. You're suppose to set an example, not going around doing minors.___

Clearing his throat, Darien forced a smile. Looking at the digits on the microwave flashing 6:45, he told her that he needed to get going if he didn't want to be late. 

He was out the door before she could reply. Hopping into his car, he sped away. 

Traffic caused him to be late and the lecture Lt. put him through didn't help to lift his mood. By 8 o'clock, he sat at his desk, as miserable as ever. 

"Bad day?" asked Jordan, tired of watching Darien fiddle with the pen. 

"Horrible," came the dejected reply, "I was just thinking why I got out of bed today." 

The ring of the phone interrupted their conversation. Darien answered, nodding his head in agreement as he partook in the conversation. However, he didn't look too happy as he put the receiver back in its' cradle. 

"Bad news?" said Jordan, leaning in to hear what Darien had to say. 

"The worst. Dominic just called saying we need to talk," he sighed miserably. "Today! At lunch!" If he wasn't in a bad mood a while ago, he sure as Hell was now. Propping his chin on his hand, Darien stared of into space, going over the things Dominic could possibly have to say to him. The good thing was, they were meeting in a café, and Darien doubt Dominic would try -- if that was his game -- anything there. 

For the time remaining, Darien sat in his chair, watching the clock move it's hands until it struck 12.   


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Dum-dum-dum! That's number three for all of you who liked my story. Well, review and tell me what you think.   
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Just another boast of thanks to the reviewers. I appreciate your comments. It's _extremely _flattering. Well, about the story. This is dedicated to those who asked, and gave their opinion on what was going to happen to Darien during his lunch with Dominic. I hope you like it. And I am so sorry for taking such a long time to update.   
  
  


**Title: **Dangerous Path   
**Chapter: **4   
**Rating:** R/NC17   
**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Humor/Action/Adventure   
**Author:** Pure Euphoria   
**Summary:** After a violent night, 17-year-old Serena Le Blanche is left homeless with no money. She has no choice but to go live with a LAPD officer until she can get back on her feet. But burning passion elopes them. She wants him. He wants her. But will her age stop whatever might've been?   
  


He sighed. The clock indicated 12. Darien didn't know what to expect from Dominic's tone. All he said was, 'Meet me at the Lapaz Cafe at lunch.' There was no way to decipher what he had in mind. But Darien knew that they were going to discuss the situation with Danielle. And no matter how he dreaded the conversation, there was no way to put it off for any longer. 

As lunch officially began, Darien headed outside, his expression somber, got in his vehicle and sped off. 

As the light turned green, the black car resumed its course on the busy LA street. Passing restaurants whose flashing signs were turned off 'til the night, Darien parked in front of the Lapaz Cafe; a small elegant restaurant with freshly groomed plants and a valet in a green uniform ready to park his car. Darien, having met Dominic, didn't expect anything lower as he knew the man had an exceptionally big reputation to attain. 

Aiming his keys at the young man, he went through the double doors, instantly hit with the aromatic smells of exotic food. However, whatever appreciation he might've had for his surroundings was killed off by his nervous state. 

Spotting Dominic in the hushed crowd of occupants, Darien went straight toward him. The elder man, apparently noticed Darien as well, as he pushed his chair softly from the table and stood up. 

"Darien, it's good to see you again," he spoke, extending a wrinkled hand. 

Not finding anything to say, Darien merely nodded, shaking Dominic's hand in a friendly manner. 

"Well, sit," motioned the elder man. Darien instantly complied. 

The waiter came and took their order; Darien taking as long as he could with his menu but not long enough as to rise suspicion in Dominic. With the waiter gone, Dominic turned to him, tilted his head and examined Darien. 

"I'm sure you know why I asked you to come down for?" 

Darien only nodded, fully aware that playing dumb would get him nowhere but possibly a grave. 

Shaking his head, Dominic pressed his palms on the smooth, green cloth of the table and leaned toward Darien. "I apologize for not talking to you sooner, but being away on business, I was only recently informed of the matter at hand." 

"Don't apologize, it's not necessary," replied Darien. And wasn't that the truth. He was more than glad Dominic didn't find out about his break-up with Danielle right after he told her. With time passing, she probably cooled down a bit. 

"Yes, well, what made you establish your choice, Darien?" 

The question seemed to pop out of nowhere, and Darien wasn't sure he had an answer that wouldn't offend Dominic. Shifting nervously in his seat, he looked around the small cafe. Noting the absence of men dressed in black suits, his nerves eased a bit more. 

Turning back to Dominic, Darien looked him in the eye, and told him how he viewed the situation. "I just don't have the same feelings toward her as I did when we first met," he said, hoping against hope that Dominic wouldn't take it the wrong way. Even though he had taken the precaution of bringing along a gun, Darien seriously doubted he'd stand a chance if Dominic brought, which would be typical of him, a dozen of his friends with him. 

"I can understand that," began the elder man, "however, are you aware that Danielle still has strong feelings toward _you, _and is not ready to give you up?" 

The unexpected news froze him in his seat as his brain tried to register the words. "Pardon?" 

"Oh, it's quite true. Danielle told me herself. You see, I love my daughter very much, but she trouble giving up something of hers before she tires of it," Dominic said, a frown marrying his wrinkled face. 

Darien took in the information, still in shock. "So what do you think I should _do_?" The elder man only chuckled. 

"Darien, don't you think I've tried everything I could?" he asked, face pained with sorrow. "Therapists? Psychiatrists? This is a deeper, psycological matter. My guess is this is tighted out down with losing her mother at such a young age." 

_Well, just what I need, _thought Darien. Sure, he felt sorry for Danielle, but did she really have to bother him because of her problem. Although, knowing he had to show sympathy on Danielle's behalf, Darien dropped his lips into a mock frown, concern masking his eyes. "That's a terrible thing." 

"Yes, it is quite unfortunate. I'm sure I gave you a scare, what with calling to speak with you in person. Understand this, Darien, I love my daughter, and I don't want her to be married to someone who does not return her feelings." He paused as the waiter brought them their order, and resumed talking once the blonde teenager was gone. "You have my respect for being honest about your feelings, but it will take a while longer for Danielle to accept that." 

"I understand." No, he didn't. Why couldn't she accept that he didn't love her and move on? Why did she have to get him involved in something he wanted no part in? 

"That is good to hear. Danielle says that you have a guest living with you for the time being? A teenage girl? Something about being involved in a murder, from what I heard. That's a good thing of you to do, Darien." 

Yeah, he sure wanted to do Serena. "Wait--" he paused to think. "How does Danielle know that someone was living with me?" 

Dominic took a fork and began devouring his mashed potatoes, stopping in mid-motion to look at Darien. "Maybe you had her visit you recently?" 

"No, we haven't spoke after she came to Jordan's house, and I don't recall saying anything about Serena," he said, trying to pin-point a source through which Danielle found out that a certain blonde teen was living with him for the time being. 

"Yes. Well, I am sure there is reasonable explaination to this," said Dominic, his voice holding an edge that told Darien the subject was dropped. 

Darien needed no further invitation, as he stood up from his chair and stretched his arm to shake Dominic's hand. He wanted nothing more than for lunch to be over so he could go back to work, and forget this meeting ever happened. 

He started to reach into his pocket to retreive a couple of bills when Dominic's voice stopped him. "Lunch is on me, Darien." 

"It's not necessary," he said, taking out two bills. 

"Darien, I insist." Dominic's eyes sparkled dangerously, telling Darien he's better take back his offer before something he didn't like happened. 

"Hmm, very well," said Darien, shoving the money back inside his pocket and giving Dominic a forced smile. This was dragging on longer than he'd expected. "It was - nice talking to you, Dominic. Lunch is over so I'm afraid I have to go." 

The elder man smiled as well, wrinkling his forehead in the process. "Please, don't let me keep you from doing your job, Darien. And, it was good talking to you, also. I look forward to our next meeting." 

"All right," he said, and turned to the exit, happy their talk was over. Nothing happened during the course of their meeting and Darien finally could relax. Tension was not something he liked dealing with very often. He nodded at the receptionist on his way out, and trotted down the stairs to his car. 

Opening the black door, he got in, buckled his seat belt and sped down the road. The day, for the most part, hasn't even prograssed yet, and he was feeling tired already. Sighing, he glued his eyes on the road ahead of him and maneuvered the car to the right. 

Stopping brieftly for the light to turn green, Darien impatiently tapped the wheel with the pads of his fingers, hoping to arrive on time or have Scarrlett give him yet another lecture about punctuality. Grumbling under his breath in annoyance, he gave a satisfied huff as the green light flashed brightly against the clear sky and resumed his journey back to work. 

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Darien ran out the car and up the stairs of the building. Checking the round clock on the wall, he sighed in relief of making it on time. Walking toward his desk, he arched a black eyebrow at Jordan, who was sitting on his desk. 

"So, man, how'd it go? I see you're still in one piece. What did Big D say for dumping Danielle?" Focussing his brown eyes on Darien, Jordan waited for an answer. 

"Surprisengly, Dominic was cool about it. He said a bunch of shit about not wanting his daughter with a man who didn't love her," he said, making sure to leave out the part about Danielle's feelings. He'd tell Jordan about it later. What he wanted to know was how Danielle knew about Serena.   
  
  
  
  


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Whew! Well, review and tell me what you think.   



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